Casselberry Considering Fire Rescue Tax Increase

July 27, 1986|By Sara Roen of The Sentinel Staff

CASSELBERRY — Although the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year has not gotten final approval, the city council on Monday will discuss whether to raise the fire department's special tax that takes effect the year after.

Mayor Owen Sheppard has recommended the city increase the rate from .75 to 1.15 mills to expand the Advanced Life Support program at the fire department.

Because residents must decide every two years whether to renew the special tax, the issue will be placed on a referendum in November.

Therefore, council members have to

determine now what it will cost to run the program in 1988 and whether to propose a tax increase if residents opt to keep the tax, Sheppard said.

Added expenses include hiring three paramedic/firefighters to increase the total from nine to 12 and the purchase of a new rescue van. A new van would enable the city to operate an ALS team from each fire station.

The city's one van now operates from the Lake Triplet Drive station near city hall and has one paramedic on board. A second van would be placed at the station on Red Bug Lake Road. Both units would be manned by two paramedics on all shifts, said Gene Fry, emergency medical services commander. Sheppard said a new van is expected to cost about $60,000.

Other items proposed in the ALS budget include three computers, two heart lung resuscitators, two infant CPR mannequins, and the ''jaws of life'' tool used to remove victims from cars. Sheppard said the proposed computers may be cut from the budget.

Fry said the department has been using an older vehicle that recently was refurbished into a rescue vehicle but says it will not last much longer. If a newer model is purchased the older unit would be used for backup, he said.

The ALS program is subsidized by the city, which is expected to contribute $50,000 in the 1987-88 budget, Sheppard said. Paramedic/firefighte rs serve dual roles because they are trained to handle medical emergencies and fight fires, although their first priority is providing medical assistance.

The city council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in city hall at 95 Lake Triplet Drive.